Robert Snow
Architect
I have three Toto Willingham toilets. One is in a bathroom that is more public and used by visitors and overnight guests. The trip lever has failed several times over the past 8 years. There is a stainless rod inside the mechanism that is bent into an L shape. The short leg pivots in a nylon hole. When the trip lever fails, this short leg pops out of the hole. It is possible to remove the chrome cover to reseat it, but eventually the nylon gets deformed and it pops out more easily until it cannot be fixed. The only way I can see this happening is if someone pulls the side mounted lever up past its working limit, with a fair amount of force. I keep a little slack in the chain and use the correct Korky 2022BP flapper. The handle hangs down vertically and as you begin to pull it forward the flapper begins to move after about 15 degrees of rotation. I have unscrewed the handle and repositioned it so that the trip lever does not begin to move up until about 45 degrees of movement. This seems to stop aggressive "handle yankers" from reaching the point where the rod pulls out of the hole in the nylon.
At first I replaced the lever. It is expensive because it comes with a porcelain and chrome handle that is screwed onto it. List $65, best price seems to be $40. If it came without the handle, it could be a lot cheaper. I have now taken both apart a few times to reseat the stainless rod. One lever mechanism is too worn to fix now.
At first I replaced the lever. It is expensive because it comes with a porcelain and chrome handle that is screwed onto it. List $65, best price seems to be $40. If it came without the handle, it could be a lot cheaper. I have now taken both apart a few times to reseat the stainless rod. One lever mechanism is too worn to fix now.
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